With the Steelers receiving room suddenly in question, here are five receivers the team could target for their depth chart.
It came as a minor surprise when James Washington requested a trade last week. While a good player, he is stuck behind a talented depth chart which has limited his playing time. Add in the fact that this is a contract year for the former second-round pick and another year seeing limited time with the Steelers wouldn’t have been ideal. The report has been disputed, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see the team move the talented young receiver anyway. Assuming Washington is out the door, here are five receivers that could replace him on the Steelers roster.
Steelers in-house options
Before delving into the available free agents, the Steelers would likely start their search for a roster replacement on their current roster. The player that offers the most translatable skillset to Washington is Isaiah McKoy, as his calling card is his deep playability. That said, the team doesn’t have to find another deep threat per se.
Juju Smith-Schuster wants to play more on the outside, meaning the team could opt for more of a slot receiver to give him more flexibility there. Anthony Johnson stands out as a player that saw considerable playing time in the Hall of Fame game and has been in the Steelers camp for a while. Tyler Simmons and Rico Bussey are other names that aren’t conventional deep threats but could contribute some in the slot. All that said, if Washington was to be traded, none of these players should be counted on right now to replace him.
Steelers should sign Hall
If the Steelers wanted to add another body that is more question mark than anything (like most of the options currently on the roster) then Emanuel Hall could be an intriguing fit. Undrafted out of Missouri in 2019, Hall spent the past few years in Washington’s camp where injuries ultimately caused him to never see the field. That said, he has the traits to succeed.
Known for his size and speed, Hall was a premier deep threat while at Missouri. The Steelers expressed interest in him during the pre-draft process but ultimately didn’t need another receiver after drafting Diontae Johnson in the third round. He hasn’t seen a pro field yet in the regular season but adding him could at least give the team another option going forward.
The cost would be for the minimum, and while the end results likely wouldn’t be too significant, the team has had late offseason additions make the roster before. If Washington leaves and the team wants another deep threat, Hall could be a nice option to feel out. There are much better names on the market, but if the Steelers wanted to keep the competition between relative unknowns, Hall would make a lot of sense.
Steelers should sign Doctson
A former first-round bust (who also played for Washington), Josh Doctson could be a relatively experienced name for the team to add to their depth chart. He has solid athleticism and decent hands, but he has never lived up to the lofty expectations that a first-round receiver has. He was an opt-out last season as well, further adding to the reason why he remains on the open market.
The Steelers love high pedigree players though, so the fact that Doctson is a former first-round pick would likely intrigue the team. Add in his physical style as a receiver and he could give the team a different dynamic than what is currently under contract. He doesn’t have any special teams experience, but considering his size and speed mixed in the desperate spot he is likely in as a pro, and I’m sure he would be willing to learn. If Darrius Heyward-Bey could do it, so could Doctson I’m sure.
While Doctson would be a better option than Hall, that is only due to his experience in the league. If signed for the minimum, he would be launched into the competition at receiver as his roster spot would not be guaranteed. That said, he would be another able boy that would add a physical element to the team. The Steelers could do worse than adding the former first-round pick to their squad.
Steelers should sign Gordon
Everyone’s favorite “what could have been” story, Josh Gordon was at one point the hottest young receiver prospect in the league. Taken in the second round of the 2012 supplemental draft, Gordon had a strong rookie season before exploding during his sophomore year. The rest of his career has been a disappointment though, as weed-related suspensions have limited the games he has played in.
Despite all that, Gordon has still been effective when on the field. He logged over 700 yards in only 11 games with the Patriots in 2018 and was a solid deep threat during his short tenure with the Seahawks. He has submitted a claim for the league to reinstate him and assuming it all goes through, he could be a valuable deep threat for the Steelers.
Of the three players listed so far, Gordon would be the best fit assuming his off-the-field concerns are managed now. He has proven to be a dynamic deep threat when active, and the team could use him in a variety of ways to take some pressure off their other receivers. Given his long history of issues, he wouldn’t cost more than the minimum either. He wouldn’t be a roster lock, but he would have a chance to revive his once-promising career with the Steelers.
Steelers should sign Fitzgerald
When I was initially crafting this list, I was set to leave Larry Fitzgerald off of it due to his age. While he is far from the receiver he once was, he can still contribute to a team in a reserved role. Add in the veteran leadership he would provide, and Fitzgerald could do a lot of good for this team as both a leader of the young crew and as a backup option.
While his physical skills are in decline, he can still run sharp routes and has great hands (he was only credited with one drop last year). While initially an outside receiver, Fitzgerald has been making the transition into the slot to help cover his lacking physical traits. Adding him to the roster would give a player like Smith-Schuster some more flexibility as he flexes outside while Fitzgerald could man the slot.
The only thing of concern for him is how much he would cost. He has been playing on a relatively long string of 11-million-dollar contracts, but his play no longer deserves that kind of money. I doubt he would settle for the minimum though, as at his age it probably isn’t worth it for him to play for so little. The Steelers have shown an affinity for veterans this offseason though and they have been willing to spread out cap hits on voidable year deals. Fitzgerald could get a deal worth more than the minimum to serve as a backup and veteran leader for this team.
Steelers should sign Tate
The name that makes the most sense assuming Washington gets traded is Golden Tate. The former second-round pick is in decline like Fitzgerald is, but he is still a far more effective receiver. Once again, adding him means giving this group a veteran to look up to, and what he offers on the offense would further add to his value for the team.
Tate had a relatively quiet year with the Giants in the 12 games he played last year. That, along with his age, has kept him on the free-agent market for an extended amount of time. Mike Tomlin has complimented Tate in the past though, so if a hole on the roster was there, Tate would make sense to fill it. He can still run sharp routes, has good hands, and has far more athleticism than a name like Fitzgerald has at this point.
The two issues with Tate are this: he is slot limited and his contract may require more than the minimum. In terms of being a slot-only type of receiver, this isn’t the end of the world as he is a backup and can still give the team some flexibility with their other receivers. As for the price, if the team gave him a voidable year deal, they could keep his first-year cap hit low. If the Steelers move on from Washington, Tate should be the first name that the team calls and offers a deal to.
While it is still unknown if the team will ultimately trade Washington or not, it wouldn’t be a surprise given his diminished role with the Steelers. Assuming he is moved, any of these five veterans would make sense to replace him and help keep this receiving group deep.